Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Carissa Carandas
Orange, Dark Red (Ratan aboli), Yellow, Delhi Crossandra , Arka Ambara, Arka Kanaka (IIHR varieties)
Number of Varieties
46
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Screen Cottage and Informal Garden, Urban areas, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
10-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm40.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Orange, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Water daily during growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
Balanced liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Agroforestry
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Bronchitis, Cough, Liver problems, Menstrual Disorders
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Basketary, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Hedges, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Crossandra, firecracker flower
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Crossandra
In German
Natal Plum
Crossandra
In French
natal Plum
Crossandra
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Crossandra
In Greek
Natal Plum
Crossandra
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Crossandra
In Polish
Natal Plum
Crossandra
In Latin
Natal Plum
Crossandra
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Scrophulariales
Family
Apocynaceae
Acanthaceae
Genus
Carissa
Crossandra
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
2052
1
27800
👆🏻